Dowland and Purcell

While it’s interesting trivia that the Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński is a talented breakdancer and sought-after model, it is his ‘supple, glowing voice’ (as Gramophone put it) that has truly propelled his rise to fame in recent years. His debut in the Great Singers series, alongside his fellow countryman Michał Biel, will showcase the works of Purcell and, notably, John Dowland. ‘Orliński and Biel make vibrant and exciting music, but they make great art from it, too’, in the words of OperaToday.

With this recital, Jakub Józef Orliński primarily wants to champion the work of John Dowland. The English singer-songwriter coloured the late Renaissance and early Baroque with his captivating and melancholic lute songs. Orliński and Biel introduce Dowland to the great lieder repertoire by adapting the lute accompaniment for the grand piano.